To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has any plans to exempt certain groups of lone parents from new requirements of conditionality outlined in “In work, better off: next steps to full employment”. (169918)

The proposed changes from October 2008 would only affect those lone parents who are in receipt of income support solely on the basis that they are the parent of a child aged 12 or over. Further proposals are that this age may be brought down to a youngest child who will be seven years old by October 2010.

The Green Paper proposed that

“Other lone parents would be able to claim the appropriate benefit for their circumstances. For example, lone parents receiving carer’s allowance for disabled children (or for caring for others) will be able to continue to claim income support should they wish.”